Colin’s boxing clever

Rising Hollywood star Colin Farrell shares top billing with Al Pacino in his new movie The Recruit, currently at Reading cinemas.

It’s an indication that he is now regarded in some quarters as Tinseltown’s ‘next big thing’.

That’s in spite of the fact that he’s not loved by everyone – one journo recently called him the most annoying and over-hyped young actor in the world.

But when I met him in London he said: “If people are paying you a lot of money you want them to feel satisfied”.

In The Recruit he is inducted into the CIA by top instructor Pacino and finds himself in a world where no-one, maybe not even Pacino, can be trusted.

He said: “Al has always been an idol of mine and he’s very good company – what surprised me was that although he’s serious about his work he has a quirky sense of humour”.

Irish-born Colin first came to notice appropriately in the TV series Ballykissangel – The Recruit marks his leap into the big league after supporting turns in Minority Report with Tom Cruise and Daredevil with Ben Affleck.

But he still feels close to his Irish roots – “my mum’s still my best friend,” he says.

As an expectant father he thinks his personal life will be less wild in the future than it has been in the past.

And he insists on doing some filming in Ireland no matter how big the pressure in Hollywood gets.

He has another film out this month called Phone Booth in which he is a sniper’s target – it was in fact made some time ago but held up because of post-September 11 terrorist worries.

Later this year he will be seen in the action drama Swat with Samuel L Jackson and he is down to play Alexander the Great for director Oliver Stone.